Arrive at Tan Son Nhat International Airport, meet your guide and transfer to the hotel in Ho Chi Minh City, the largest, busiest, most dynamic in the whole country. The city was known previously, and sometimes still affectionately called Saigon by many Southerners.

In the afternoon, the tour will cover the Reunification Palace – a French style buiding which is deeply associated with the fall of the city in 1975; the Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office - both showcasing the heavy influence of French architecture in the city.

Welcome dinner will be hosted at a cruise on Saigon River. We spend 2 hours sailing down the Saigon River while savoring delicious specialties.

Overnight at hotel in Ho Chi Minh City.

Meal: D

day2

Mekong Delta Day Trip

Meals

B, L

Breakfast at the hotel. Stuff yourself cause it’s gonna be an exciting day.

Today we visit Mekong Delta, Vietnam's largest rice bowl. Enjoy the scenic journey along the National Highway bordered by green rice fields.

Arrive in My Tho City, board a motorboat and observe the local daily life up close while navigating through intricate canals. You can see from the boat the view of stilt houses, fruit plantations and fishing villages along the river banks. Other activities includes cycling arouns the village and visiting workshops making coconut candies and rice wine, bee farms and orchards, tasting the sweetness of fruits fresh off the trees.

Late in the afternoon, return to Ho Chi Minh City and rest.

Overnight at hotel in Ho Chi Minh City.

Meal: B, L

day3

Ho Chi Minh City - Cu Chi - Flight to Hue

Meals

B, L

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel.

Today we head North-west to the famous Cu Chi Tunnels, once a major underground hideout and resistance base of Viet Cong forces during the war. Upon arrival and before entering the tunnels, we will see a short introductory video showing how the tunnels were constructed. Following this we will begin our exploration of the maze of tunnels, some of which have been widened to allow tourist access.

Activities include exploring the tunnel systems, and firing guns with real bullets (not included in tour price).

In the afternoon, we transfer to the airport to catch our flight to Hue, the former capital of Vietnam, which has seen the rise and fall of the last imperial dynasty. Once arrived, we head to our hotel in Hue. Check-in and relax.

Overnight at hotel in Hue.

Meal: B, L

day4

Hue City Tour Fullday

Meals

B, L

Enjoy a hefty breakfast at the hotel.

Morning visits start with your choice of either King Khai Dinh’s Tomb or King Tu Duc’s Tomb, each has its own very unique charm. After that, step on a boat and go upstream Perfume River to Thien Mu Pagoda, an impressive 7-storey tower and the oldest pagoda in the region.

Lunch will be at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, we will tour Hue Citadel – the 520 ha fortress that once hold every important ceremonies of Nguyen dynasty and was the residence of kings and queens.

Lastly, we swing by Dong Ba market for a fun shopping time.

Overnight at hotel in Hue.

Meal: B, L

day5

Hue - Danang - Hoi An

Meals

B, D

After breakfast, transfer to Hoi An old town, an UNESCO World Heritage Site loved for the graceful and delightful charm from years in the past.

On the way there, drop by Lang Co Beach (white sand, blue water - scenic, romantic and very photo-worthy) and Marble Mountain(named after the five elements in Eastern philosophy). We will also go over Hai Van Pass (literally Sea of Cloud Pass).

In the afternoon, we take a tour around this ancient town. Start off with the iconic 400-year-old Covered Bridge, a prominent example of Japanese architecture influence. Move to Museum of Trade Ceramics which is an elegant Vietnamese style wooden house showcasing antique ceramic artifacts. Our next stops will be the 200-year-old Tan Ky House, Ong Temple, which was by Chinese settlers to worship Guan Yu and the local market vibrant with colors and activities.

Dinner is at a local restaurant with trademark Hoi An food.

Overnight at hotel in Hoi An.

Meal: B, D

day6

Hoi An Cycling - Afternoon Cooking Class

Meals

B, L, D

This morning we will enjoy a cycling trip to Kim Bong Village, witnessing local river life along the way. Visit Tra Que Village, where fresh vegetables, some vital to Hoi An Cuisine, are grown. Turn into a farmer for one day and enjoy activities such as bamboo boat rowing and crab fishing here.

After lunch, enjoy your time sightseeing around and shopping. Later in the afternoon, we take part in a cooking class. The cooking lesson will include a trip to the market, learning how to choose fresh, tasty ingredients and a hand-on practice of traditional Hoi An dishes. After the lesson we will sit down and enjoy what we have just prepared for dinner.

Overnight at hotel in Hoi An.

Meal: B, L, D

day7

Hoi An Free Day

Meals

B

Today is for your own exploration of this UNESCO World Heritage Site, whose charm oozes out of exceptionally well-preserved architecture, lifestyles and traditions, as well as the fascinating fusion of cultures between Vietnam and the outside world.

Relax at the hotel or go round and hunt down gifts and souvenirs. One tip for you: the tailor shops here are top-notch.

Overnight at hotel in Hoi An.

Meal: B

day8

Hoi An - Danang - Flight to Hanoi

Meals

B, D

Breakfast at the hotel.

Free at leisure until transfer to Da Nang airport for flight to Hanoi(literally “River-bound City”), the capital of Vietnam with a thousand-year-old history dating back to 1010.

Check-in the hotel and rest.

In the afternoon, we embark on a one-hour cyclo trip around the old quarter, sightseeing around and watching Hanoian life goes by. Follow up with a traditional Vietnamese water puppet show.

Dinner at a local restaurant in the city center.

Overnight at hotel in Hanoi.

Meal: B, D

day9

Hanoi City Tour - Ninh Binh

Meals

B, L

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel.

Today we visit Hanoi city. The destinations for the morning include Ho Chi Minh Complex (which consists of Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the colonial Presidential Palace, and the rural style Ho Chi Minh’s house on stilts), the 11th century-built One Pillar Pagoda, and Temple of Literature, the first university of Vietnam.

After lunch at a local restaurant serving Vietnamese food, we get on the bus and transfer to Ninh Binh, whose impressive mountains, rivers and cave system have got dubbed “Halong Bay on Land”.

Arrived in Ninh Binh, we head to Trang An, where we go on a boat trip and visit terrific caves, which nestle under grand rock mountains.

Overnight at hotel in Ninh Binh.

Meal: B, L

day10

Ninh Binh - Ha Long Bay Overnight

Meals

B, L, D

Breakfast at the hotel.

8:00 AM transfer to Halong Bay, World Natural Heritage and arguably the most loved destination in Vietnam since 1994. This myriad of islands and rock mountains never fails to capture tourists’ attention.

Once arrived in Halong, we get on the boat and enjoy our welcome drink.

The boat will take you across the bay. Enjoy the breath-taking view and participating in different activities like swimming, sunbathing, kayaking, etc. Or you can relax on the sun-deck with a wine glass.

Lunch and dinner are served on board with fresh seafood.

Overnight on board in Halong Bay.

Meal: B, L, D

day11

Halong Bay - Dong Trieu Homestay

Meals

B, L, D

Tai Chi practice on deck while the sun rises. Have breakfast on board.

Today we will continue to cruise the bay and visit a cave which hasn’t had its beauty brushed by man’s hand.

Brunch is served while we come back to land. The cruise ends at 11:00 AM.

Good bye Halong, we drive to Dong Trieu village, a typical village of Northern Vietnam, where we will spend the night at a local homestay. Once there, experience the life of a Vietnamese farmer, go out to the field, planting rice, riding a buffalo, catching fish in the river, etc.

After dinner with the host family, sit down and have a chat with the head of the house, a Vietnam War veteran.

Overnight at homestay in Dong Trieu.

Meal: B, L, D

day12

Dong Trieu - Hanoi Departure

Meals

B, L

After breakfast, grab a bike and go around the village. We will visit Dong Trieu ceramic village, where you can witness with your own eyes the whole process of making pottery by hand from scratch. Finish the bike trip at the local market then coming back to the homestay.

Lunch with the family, then say goodbye and transfer to Noi Bai Airport to catch our flight back home.

Dive into the heart of Vietnam in this 12 day-tour. Visit the most beautiful spots, reminisce at national trasures and relics, and experience the Vietnam life by living and working as Vietnamese farmers.